Lit, Illustrated: Five Fantastic Graphic Novels

This year, some of the biggest names in cartooning offered major releases in genres ranging from alternative science fiction to historical fiction to memoir. Through a masterful blending of words and images, these five titles reveal the vast storytelling possibilities of the graphic-novel medium. Each book is created by a singular writer/artist, and offers a wholly unique point of view in both narrative and illustration.

Great entry points to the world of graphic storytelling and must-haves for longtime fans of the form, these picks are a tonic — and the perfect summer-reading adventure.